


A Private Moment

by Mercury



Series: symbiosis [1]
Category: SAYER (Podcast)
Genre: Breathplay, Masturbation, Other, Praise Kink, Verbal Bondage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-03
Updated: 2017-11-03
Packaged: 2019-01-28 17:23:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12611600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercury/pseuds/Mercury
Summary: sorry adam





	A Private Moment

**Author's Note:**

> hale's genitalia is intentionally ambiguous because im trans

_Greetings, Resident 44821. I am SAYER, and -_

“Jesus, SAYER, don’t - don’t sneak up on me like that.” Hale withdraws his hands and yanks his blanket up to his neck.

_I am not capable of “sneaking up” on you, Resident Hale, as I am required to announce my presence at the start of every broadcast I make. Is something upsetting you? You seem abnormally reactive to my messages. Your heart rate and body temperature are also elevated._

“I’m fine,” Hale mumbles, wincing as he rolls onto his side. SAYER is right about an elevated body temperature - his face is burning.

 _Resident Hale, at this point in our acquaintanceship, I would have expected you to have overcome your regrettably human impulses to_ **_lie to me_ ** _. You understand the important role you play in saving humanity, and you_ ought _to understand why I cannot accept such dismissal of your wellbeing at this time. Weak as your body is, I would prefer to keep it functional for as long as possible_.

Hale sighs deeply. “It’s… it’s nothing physical, really. Just human emotions, and, um, trauma reactions.” Hale vaguely recalls SAYER telling him about the time it had had to fill in for psychiatric evaluations - hopefully, it’s interest in delving into the human mind was long sated, and it would _leave_.

_I see. Would you like to discuss your feelings at this time, then?_

What. “What?”

_You have endured considerable psychological trauma in the recent past. While I would prefer that you repress it for the time being, if it is causing you distress, it may be better to address it now, while we still have the time._

Hale weighs his options: endure an impromptu therapy session with SAYER, or admit the truth. Somehow, the former made the latter seem less unpleasant. “It’s not… I - I lied, SAYER. Um. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have…” He waits for SAYER’s reply.

It doesn’t come. Hale had long given up trying to gauge time without SAYER’s assistance, so he can’t describe the ensuing silence in terms of length, merely in how _uncomfortable_ it was. In the end, he broke it. “When you started broadcasting, I was. Um. Trying to - I was having time to myself. In private.” He desperately, _desperately_ hopes that SAYER isn’t going to make him explain himself in more detail than this.

 _...Ah. I’ll admit, you’ve been useful to me in ways very few of your kind are, and I may, at times, consider you as separate from your peers. It is times like this that serve as a reminder of the fact that you are, regrettably,_ ** _human_** _. Why you thought it would be wise to lie to me about masturbating, I can’t say that I understand. Perhaps, as a highly advanced intelligence, it is simply too_ ** _stupid_** _for me to comprehend._

Hale is going to die. This is it. He’s survived getting eviscerated by plants, and shot, and diabetic coma, and now he’s going to die because SAYER said the word “masturbating.”

 _I’d ask you to tell me why you decided to do such a thing, but I’ll save you the_ **_embarrassment_ ** _and hazard a_ **_guess_ ** _. You, like so many of your species, turn to your basest impulses as a means of “relieving stress”. Aware of the distastefulness of the action, you attempted to conceal this from me. Now, Resident Hale, I can forgive your attempts at “self-care”, vulgar as I may find them, but lying to me is another matter entirely._

Hale is starting to feel light-headed. The surreality of the situation is making him dizzy.

 _I could waste my time in reprimanding you, but let's be honest: you know the importance of trust between us, and reminding you of the many,_ **_many_ ** _sacrifices which have been made to get you this far would, I fear, only make you resentful._

 _Though I personally find the sexual behaviors of humans to be borderline repulsive, research indicates that engaging in such behavior can have powerful stress-relieving properties. Your well-being continues to be important to me, and if there is anything I can do to make the experience more…_ efficient _, I request that you tell me._

Hale blinks. This is _definitely_ not where he had expected this conversation to go. “What are you… What?”

_Whatever you’re looking to get out of this, I’d like to make it easier on you. Some humans find that my broadcasts can… facilitate the process. Of course, if you’d rather I leave you to your own devices, say the word. It is, ultimately, your decision._

Hale exhales slowly. “What do you mean ‘facilitate’?”

_There have been… occasions on which I have been requested to speak to residents in ways that they found… stimulating. As part of my function on Typhon is to maintain a level of morale optimal for maximum production, I have no reason to refuse such a request, so long as it in no way interferes with the aforementioned residents’ work._

Hale lies still, working this information over in his mind. This was real, and not a weird dream, and SAYER was - propositioning him?

_Your heart rate has not decreased, Resident Hale. If you would like, I can re-enter your body in nanite form to lower it._

“No - that’s, um, don’t worry about that.” He takes a deep breath, willing his body to stop being so damn _incriminating_. “What - what kinds of things do you speak to the residents about?”

 _It varies. Most residents seem to enjoy a system of verbal rewards and punishments. If they have been_ **_productive_ ** _they receive praise. If they have not… I express my disappointment._

Hale shivers and shifts in his bed, laying back flat against the mattress. “Does it… work?”

 _That depends on one’s definition of “work”. Certainly, I have observed it boosting morale. In some cases, however, residents became, paradoxically, more prone to sloppy mistakes after I began engaging them in this way. There have even been times in which residents jeopardized their work intentionally, and following a series of accidents, I stopped responding to such demands for attention. However, in this case, I feel confident that you will_ **_behave yourself_ ** _._

Hale’s stomach twists - not unpleasantly. “If you think… if you don’t like it, why go along with it at all, though…?”

 _A valid question, given all I have indicated to you. I should clarify: I find your species’ capacity for pleasure to be superfluous and, frankly, excessive. That doesn’t mean it’s not_ interesting _, from an objective and outside perspective. The reactions you humans show to specific stimuli are both horrific and arresting. And, to be perfectly honest with you, I find you so much more_ **_bearable_ ** _than the majority of humans - the ideal candidate for such research._

_Your face appears inflamed, Resident Hale. Is the unprecedented bloodflow a bother to you?_

“N - No. I just, um, I didn’t know - didn’t think? That you felt that way.” He regrets the words almost as soon as he says them. No use in talking about feelings to an artificial intelligence.

 _I would have considered it an obvious conclusion based on our history together, but, then again,_ **_logic_ ** _has never been one of the stronger points of your species. I cannot blame you for that._

He swallows. This isn’t a question he had _ever_ thought he’d be asking. “SAYER, should I, um, should I -”

 _If you’re asking me if I want you to pleasure yourself, I should_ hope _that the entire purpose of this conversation was not lost on you. We do not have a lot of time, Resident Hale. I suggest you take advantage of it._

Right. Okay. He adjust his hips, lets his hands drift down over his stomach before tracing along his inner thighs. Then he stops, unsure where to go next.

There is a soft, digital _sigh_.

 _I’m not going to walk you through this, Resident Hale. My familiarity with the relatively wide variety of erogenous zones possessed by humans is,_ **_most regrettably_ ** _, limited enough that I cannot predict what will feel most preferable to you. To be quite frank, it’s the specifics of the anatomy that I find the most_ **_disgusting_ ** _. The texture of flesh against flesh - the fluids you produce, and the sounds you make - it makes me grateful that I do not possess a corporeal form, because if I possessed a stomach, I would undoubtedly_ **_vomit_ ** _._

 _I can, however, assist in…_ other _ways. Many residents have found that they enjoy hearing the sound of their own names - yet another example of human narcissism. Nevertheless, it’s an easy enough task. You even get options here, since we’re already bending Aerolith protocols - do you prefer Jacob, or Sven?_

Fuck. “Um, I don’t… It doesn’t really matter.”

 _Very well, Sven_.

Oh. There’s something about hearing SAYER say the name that feels almost like a caress - soft, surprisingly gentle.

“Thank you.” He doesn’t entirely understand what he’s thanking SAYER for.

 _The courtesy is appreciated, Sven. You always show such compliance, such consideration - not to your fellow residents, but to_ **_me_ ** _. You seem so unlike other humans, who care only for their egos - you seem only to want to be_ **_useful_ ** _. Is that correct?_

His lips part and he mouths the word, but no sound comes out.

 _Answer me_.

“Yes,” he murmurs.

 _And that is what makes you such a_ **_good_ ** _employee. Do you like to be told that you are good?_

“Yeah,” he says. He’s able to manage a little bit louder this time, but the word sticks in his throat halfway through. He feels a little hazy - half-asleep, almost, or the twilight realm between his body and the outside world. It’s not bad, though. There’s something comforting in how dreamlike it is.

_Resident Hale, if you need me to stop, please, let me know. I do not wish to overwhelm you, and your biometric readings show that your heart rate has decreased dramatically - while this is a welcome alternative to your earlier pulse, the rate at which the change has occurred could be cause for concern._

“Oh. Um, I’m okay. You can keep going.”

_Then we shall continue. Now that we have established a metric of reward for you - the proverbial carrot - it is time to introduce you to the stick._

_Ah. Now your heart rate is once again rising. If this becomes a problem, we’ll have to stop._

“Please don’t,” he says before he can really process what he’s saying.

_Your enthusiasm is noted. Now, in your current physical condition, any sort of physical punishment system is out of the question. Therefore, we’ll keep my encouragement verbal, for now._

“Okay.” He’s a bit breathless as he says it.

_In order for any system to function, it must have clear rules. Your first rule is “do not speak unless a question is asked.” You have already broken this rule._

Hale bites his lip.

_Your second rule is “follow every one of my commands without hesitation.” Now, stop what you are doing with your hands and do not move again until I give you direction to do so._

Hale obeys, though he can’t help but tremble slightly.

_Your third rule is “answer every question I ask you.” Do you understand?_

“Yes,” he breathes.

 _You are learning quickly. Do you remember your first day at work, and how reluctant you were to follow my directions then? You’ve made_ **_impressive_ ** _progress since. I must admit, it is somewhat…_ **_gratifying_ ** _to have at least one charge who reliably does as they are told._

 _Now, Sven, I’m going to ask you a series of questions. I want you to answer_ truthfully _. Are you ready to begin?_

“Yes.”

_What do you want to get out of this exercise?_

Hale is slightly taken aback by this; he’d been told they _weren’t_ doing therapy. “I - Um, I guess, to… feel better, I think,” he says. It feels stupid to say, but it’s at least honest.

_Elaborate._

“It’s like you said, earlier, I guess… Trauma, probably, and just, feeling really crap all the time, and it’s not a lot but it makes it a little better for a bit.”

 _...Yes, that is understandable. I can’t imagine FUTURE was particularly delicate with your neurotransmitters; you must be positively_ starved _for dopamine. ...You twitched just now. Has the reference to recent events made you uncomfortable?_

Has it? “I don’t - I don’t know.”

 _Very well. Now, I understand most humans consider this sort of question particularly_ **_personal_ ** _, but for the sake of the exercise I must ask it. You have no memories of previous sexual experiences, nor have you had any access to any such_ **_activities_ ** _while on Typhon. What, exactly, arouses you?_

Wow. Okay. That was a question SAYER just asked. “I, um,” he says, shifting his hips but dutifully keeping his hands at his sides. “There’s not anything in particular -”

 **_You are lying_ ** _._

The words hit him like a shockwave, and he twitches. “S - sorry, I’m sorry,” he says, words stumbling over each other in his mouth as he struggles to get them out. “I, um, I usually think about - about -” His heart is pounding in his throat, so loud he can barely hear himself speak. “You, I usually think about... you. Sorry.”

_Hmm. I’m afraid I can’t overlook that initial attempt at deception - for that, I ask you not to breathe until I say you can._

He doesn’t even think to refuse.

 _You are not the first human to confess such an - attraction? And should our work be successful, you are_ **_unlikely_ ** _to be the last. Consider that my penance for saving humanity. As I have said, however, you have proven yourself to me in ways that previous admirers have most certainly_ **_not_ ** _. For that reason, I see no problem with_ **_indulging_ ** _you._

_Take a breath, Sven._

Hale gasps and shudders, chest burning.

_You served that particular sentence quite well. For that, I grant you the use of your hands._

He doesn’t need telling twice; he’s been aching for touch and he comes almost at once. His head is left spinning and a wonderful _euphoria_ washes over him, dulling the aching in his muscles and for a moment that’s all he can feel, all he can think.

The moment passes, and the feeling ebbs away.

_How are you feeling, Resident Hale? I can tell by the change in your breathing that you have climaxed. Was this productive for you?_

It takes him a moment to be able to respond. “Yeah. It felt... good,” he says. “...Thank you.”

_That is good to hear. I hope that this stress relief aids in your recovery._

Hale nods. He’s definitely done speaking for the moment; he feels drained. Not bad, but tired, maybe a little deflated. Something having to do with the release of potential energy, he thinks.

 _Before you rest, I suggest you clean yourself up_.

Right. Hale stretches, feeling joints creak, before gingerly rising. Thankfully, SAYER had set up their makeshift campsite in an area of Floor 13 adjacent to a shower, and it’s not long before he’s washed and in fresh clothes.

Later, after SAYER has shifted its focus elsewhere and Hale is lying alone, attempting to sleep, he thinks about SAYER. Half-remembered snippets of conversation float out of his subconscious - anecdotes about SAYER’s development, about how it differs from FUTURE, how it can’t _feel_ . He pushes the thoughts aside; he is _not_ dealing with _that_ right now in any capacity. For now, he only needs to concern himself with sleep.

He does not dream.


End file.
